Schema-based service for identity-based data access to financial data

Abstract

A schema-based Wallet service for centralized access to per-user financial data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The Wallet service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The Wallet schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the Wallet schemas are arranged to provide XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role In this way, document data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner. The structure of the data is defined from the perspective of the data, not from that of an application program or a device, whereby appropriate programs can communicate with the Wallet service to access the data, with existing knowledge of the schema-defined format, regardless of the device or application program in use. Extensibility is defined into the schema.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a computer network, a method comprising, 
 providing a wallet schema, the wallet schema having financial data-related fields arranged into a content document with defined structures for the fields;    receiving a data access request directed to financial data, the request including associated identity information; and    in response to the data access request, manipulating at least one set of financial data in a logical wallet document that includes data therein according to the associated identity information, each set of data in the logical wallet document structured to correspond to a field in the content document.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein manipulating at least one set of data comprises reading data from at least one field in the logical wallet document.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein manipulating at least one set of data comprises writing data to at least one field in the logical wallet document.  
     
     
         4 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of  claim 1   
     
     
         5 . In a computer network, a method comprising, 
 receiving a request to retrieve financial data, the request including associated identity information;    reading from a data store to obtain financial data based on the associated identity information;    constructing a wallet document including at least part of the data, the document arranged according to a defined schema for financial data; and    returning the document in response to the request.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the schema includes at least one defined field for extending the schema.  
     
     
         7 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising: 
 a first set of data that identifies a type of financial data;    a second set of data corresponding to identifying information about the type of financial data identified in the first set of data; and    wherein the first and second sets of data are regularized according to a schema in a centralized service such that an identity-based recipient of the data structure interprets the data according to the schema to obtain financial information from the centralized service.    
     
     
         9 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the first set of data comprises data corresponding to an account at a financial institution, and wherein the second set of data comprises an account number.  
     
     
         10 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises a routing number.  
     
     
         11 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises currency data associated with the account.  
     
     
         12 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises a name associated with the account.  
     
     
         13 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises a location corresponding to an entity that is associated with the account.  
     
     
         13 . The data structure of  claim 13  wherein the location corresponds to an address.  
     
     
         14 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the first set of data comprises data corresponding to a type of financial card, and wherein the second set of data comprises a card number.  
     
     
         15 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises a name associated with the card.  
     
     
         16 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises currency data associated with the card.  
     
     
         19 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises a location corresponding to an entity that is associated with the card.  
     
     
         19 . The data structure of claim  18  wherein the card is a credit card, and wherein the location comprises a billing address.  
     
     
         20 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises an expiration date of the card.  
     
     
         21 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises an issue date of the card.  
     
     
         22 . The data structure of  claim 8  wherein the second set of data comprises a date from which the card is valid.